Boozin' Cruisin' Review ~ Mariner of the Seas ~ May 27, 2007

[WeirdEyes]

Hello Luv!

Here’s my Mariner of the Seas review (sailing May 27, 2007).

 

This will be a long review with pictures so sit back and enjoy yourself a cup of coffee or tea.

 

We are myself (Sheila 42), DH (John 44), DBIL (Skip), DSIL (Alicia), BFH (best friend, Howard), and BFM (best friend, Margaret). This was our second time on the Mariner, which is our favorite ship. We were in cabins 7320, 7322, and 7620.

 

Saturday - Port Canaveral

 

We arrived at Port Canaveral around 3:30pm and checked into the Radisson at the Port. We ate dinner at Fishlips, which was good, but Grills is better. We also did the obligatory visit to Ron Jon for some beach stuff. There was a pre-pre-Meet & Mingle party at the Tiki Bar at the Radisson and it was nice meeting the Cruise Critic members that I’d been chatting with for months. Hello to my fellow Motley Cruisers! Thanks to Tim for getting us the group rate.

 

 

Sunday – Day One

 

We made our way to the port and were on-board eating lunch in the Windjammer by noon. The check-in process was fast and easy.

 

After lunch, we toured the ship some, which included making our way directly to the Wig & Gavel Pub. This was John’s and Howard’s favorite place on our 2004 Mariner cruise. However, this cruise they were disappointed….more on that later.

 

We had another pre-Meet & Mingle scheduled for 3:00 at the Sky Bar. We met even more Motley Cruisers that weren’t at the Radisson the previous night. I didn’t take any pictures, but others did and I hope they share them. <hint-hint>

 

We received our luggage right after the Muster Drill and got some of it unpacked. Sail-away was at 4:30 so we made our way up to the Sky Bar again to watch the ship make its way out of the port. I must say that this part of the cruise is one of the most thrilling for me. I like to stick my tongue out at the people left on land. LOL

 

The Welcome Aboard show was before dinner and I always enjoy this show. We had late seating so we ate our first night at 8:45pm.

 

The ship rocked a good bit on Sunday night and we had to miss CocoCay on Monday due to high waves. I took two Bonine tablets each night and thank goodness I did! I get sea sick real easy and I didn’t get sick at all this trip. Thanks to my doctor who told me to take two pills instead of one.

 

Monday – Sea Day – Day Two

 

Monday ended up being a sea day. After breakfast, we went to the pool deck and staked out a great spot. We were there most of the day. We had a great time just hanging out and being lazy.

 

Tonight was the Captain’s Reception and our first formal night. We hung out at the Wig & Gavel, had portraits made and went to dinner. We went to see Front Row afterwards….I almost fell asleep.

 

Tuesday – San Juan – Day Three

 

Our Meet & Mingle was scheduled for today. It was unimpressive again. Becky didn’t come because she had a prior commitment. It was nice to see all of the Motley Cruisers again though.

 

We went to San Juan instead of CocoCay. I was disappointed, but John was excited because we’d never been to Old San Juan and he wanted to see it. We walked around for a while and the day would’ve been a bust if we hadn’t ended up at the Hard Rock Café and then Senor Frogs. We had a blast! Note our new hats!

 

 

Everyone took a nap after Senor Frogs….gee, I wonder why? Tonight was the Love & Marriage game and the late-night comedian. One couple had been married 20+ years and let’s just say that “Bubba” was tiny! The comedian’s show started at 12:15 and it was funny! He had us rolling in our seats.

 

Wednesday – St. Thomas – Day Four

 

I scheduled a tour with Godfrey. He picked us up at the port at 11:00am after we shopped some at Havensight. He took us downtown for an hour and then onto the island tour. We went to Mountain Top and various other spots before we ended up at Sapphire Beach. If you want some great pictures of Magen’s Bay, go to Mountain Top. The view is breathtaking! We did some snorkeling and watching of iguanas at Sapphire Beach. It was really pretty and we enjoyed it.

 

After dinner, we went to Quest! We didn’t have good seats and Becky made everyone below us stand up so we really didn’t see a lot unless we looked at the monitors. I was sort of disappointed in this, but it was fun none the less. Becky always makes it amusing. She is a show all by herself!

 

Thursday – St. Maarten/St. Martin – Day Five

 

Is it Day Five already? Shoot! John made up our own tour for St. Maarten/St. Martin so we walked to the taxi stand for a ride to the French side of the island. That’s where we met Francis. Francis took a liking to my DBIL, Skip, as he is very amusing and can talk to anyone. Francis also claimed to have two wives….one on the Dutch side and one on the French side. Methinks he was “winding us up.” Francis took us to Orient Beach for our first stop. We were there for 3 hours and it was lovely. The girls in the bunch took a stroll down the beach to see some sights. After Orient Beach, we went to Marigot to have lunch and walk around. I loved the harbor here and got some great pictures of sailboats. Francis picked us back up and we went shopping in downtown Philipsburg. No jewelry was purchased this time around…dang it!

 

I can’t remember what we did this night…must’ve been all of the sights I saw on Orient Beach. Hee! Hee!

 

Friday – Sea Day – Day Six

 

Everyone slept in today, which was sooo nice! Again, we just hung out on the pool deck. The sun was finally shining and it was so hot. We kept our bar waiter busy. I’m sure he appreciated the extra tips.

 

Our second formal was tonight and we got all dressed up again. I did see some people in the dining room in jeans and t-shirts. It didn’t ruin my night to say the least. We had lobster and it was good! We went to see the second comedian, Bobby Daro (I think that’s his name) and he was pretty funny.

 

Saturday – Sea Day – Day Seven

 

One more day to go. We’re so depressed! We mostly hung out at the Solarium today and ran into our first chair hogs. One couple had two seats next to my DSIL with their stuff just sitting in the chairs for hours with no bodies in them. They finally showed up in the afternoon and their stuff had been moved. Gee! I wonder how that happened? The lady complained and we explained to her that you cannot save chairs and you’re only allowed 30 minutes to be away from the chairs. I thought her DH was going to throw a fit, but I guess he thought he’d better not tangle with three women. The lady claimed to have never saved chairs before. I just said, “Yeah right!” under my breath. She was a pro.

 

Our last night to spend with our friends and it was so depressing having to leave on the morrow. We went to the Farewell Show and the parade. Both were good and I think Becky is a truly amazing CD. I hate to see her leave the Mariner. I hope they find a good replacement for her. She is a treasure!

 

Since we were heading into Tropical Storm Barry, the ship was really rockin’ and a rollin’ tonight! Wow! Good thing I’d taken my Bonine.

 

Sunday – Disembarkation

 

We were Orange 1 and were called off the ship around 9:15. It was sad to walk off the ship and say goodbye to our Scottish friends. We only get to see them a couple of times a year so it is so hard to leave them. After many tears, we were off to drive back to Alabama. What a long, boring ride that was. Sniff. Sniff.

 

Now that I’m finished with my “play-by-play,” I’ll add a few more things about this or that.

 

Wait Staff

 

Our waiter was Ruzario from India and the assistant waiter was Volkan from Turkey. Both were great and we had a blast with them all week. Here’s a picture of them with the women in our group.

 

 

Our bar waiter in the dining room was Viktor from Serbia. He is the absolute best bar waiter we’ve had on a cruise. He made our week more enjoyable and we will always remember him. Viktor also worked the pool deck area and no matter where we were on the pool deck, he found us. So, if you’re on the Mariner anytime within the next two months, find Viktor. Here he is with the men in our group.

 

 

Our Cabin Steward was Tyronne from Jamaica. He was very competent and did a good job. He seemed shy, which was fine with us. He was a nice fellow.

 

Shows

 

Each night, we would either hang out at Boleros or go to a show. We saw the Front Row show and to be honest, I wasn’t impressed. I guess if you enjoy this type of show, it is good. I preferred Pure Energy. We didn’t see it on this sailing, but on the 2004 sailing. The Ice Show was fabulous as always. Sasha is just amazing! We went to see both comedians and they were good. The one doing the late night show was hilarious! Of course, we didn’t miss Quest either.

 

Food

 

The food must’ve been pretty good because I gained 5 pounds! Food is really an objective thing per person so what I might find good, you might find awful. The only complaint I have about the food is THERE ISN’T ENOUGH CHOCOLATE DESSERTS!

 

Johnny Rockets was not very good to me and the service was awful. I had a grilled cheese, John had two chili dogs that he thought was great, and the rest had burgers. They were so huge! There’s no way I could eat one of those things.

 

Cabin

 

We had a balcony cabin on deck 7. The location was great because we were close to the library and could access the wireless internet from our cabin. We paid $25 for a set number of minutes. The new mattress was wonderful! It was firm and that’s how I like it. John said the new comforter was too thick for the Caribbean and I agree with him. It was pretty though…..see picture below.

 

 

Other thoughts/comments

 

The only complaint that the group had was the service in the Wig & Gavel. In past cruises, this has always been our hangout either on the Mariner or Navigator. We’ve always been so impressed with the service that we’ve given extra tips. Not this cruise. The bartenders couldn’t be bothered and the bar waitresses were slow. The Wig & Gavel wasn’t full ever so I guess it wasn’t just us. We ended up at Boleros most of the time and I loved the Latin music & band. I couldn’t keep myself from dancing. Now, I’d love to learn how to do the Latin dances.

 

We all had an awesome cruise and didn’t want to get off the ship. I wish we could cruise on her every 6 months. My dream would be to do a back-to-back cruise. However, I think our next cruise will be on the Adventure so we can do the Southern itinerary.

 

Sorry this is so long, but I had a lot to say. I’ll be happy to answer any questions if I can.

 

To everyone sailing soon on the Mariner, I am so jealous!

 

Thanks for reading!

 

VIKTOR! BRING ME ANOTHER COCO LOCO!

[shipknotshore]

Great review. We're anxious to sail on the Mariner as up to now our favorite ship is the Navigator. Now that she's moving to L.A. and we're in Ca. it'll be our #1 destination!!

[Step1]

Sheila, Great review!!! Thanks for sharing:)

[audome78]

Sheila,

 

Thanks for a great review. My wife and I will be living your dream next February to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary...back to back Mariner cruises. After reading your review, I can't wait!

[kathyemma]

Thanks for the review! I LOVED the mariner. Sorry about the bartenders. Bartenders are my favorite people in the world - and I hate it when I hear about a bad one!

 

Kathy

[ken_nyc]

Sheila, thanks for the great review and pics. Really enjoyed it, cannot wait for August!!

[Weebsie]

Thank you so much for your great review!!! :)

[WeirdEyes]

I'm glad you all enjoyed the review. I don't take the time to take notes during a cruise so this was all from memory. I hope I didn't leave anything crucial out.

 

BTW, DH said to tell everyone that the Wig & Gavel didn't have any Bass Ale, which he thought was a crime. :eek:

 

Not all of the bartenders were bad...just the one at the Wig & Gavel. The others were great!

 

We can't wait to sail the Mariner again. :D

[akcruz]

Thanks for the wonderful, informative review. In a mere 11 days I'll be sailing on the Mariner!!! Can't wait!

[khank]

We're trying to decide what to do in St. Thomas. Although I'd really love to go to St. John, I'm not sure if I want to go thru the hassle of cab and ferry rides with 2 teenagers in tow. Would you recommend the tour with Godfrey? I've been reading about him and Sunny Liston. Thanks for the advice!

[kruz]

Sheila...did you recall if they were still doing the kareoke idol contest?

Also..what did they do instead of horse racing on deck? Anything?

[BuilderMan]

Great review Sheila! It truly was a great cruise, wasn't it?

 

I have to agree with the comforters on the bed though. They were too warm for the Caribbean. Pretty, but hot.

 

It's a shame that Becky is leaving the Mariner too. She really is great at her job. She felt bad missing our M&M but one of our group talked to her and she came over to our tables in the dining room on second formal night to chat with us. That was nice of her.

 

I was disappointed on missing CocoCay too, but totally understand the reason why. The safety of the passengers and crew must come first.

 

I'm ready to go again too!

[Boyz3mon]

Sheila, we had Ruzario on our cruise in April!! Wasn't he the nicest guy? We loved him. He spoiled my kids so much. He told us this was his last year on cruise ships, because he is missing his family too much.

 

Here's to the "yummy yummy's"!

 

Karen

[Nliedel]

Sheila,

 

WONDERFUL REVIEW and I loved the photos! One of these days we will sail together.

 

Oh and good work with the professional chair hog.

[WeirdEyes]

We're trying to decide what to do in St. Thomas. Although I'd really love to go to St. John, I'm not sure if I want to go thru the hassle of cab and ferry rides with 2 teenagers in tow. Would you recommend the tour with Godfrey? I've been reading about him and Sunny Liston. Thanks for the advice!

Yes, I'd definitely recommend the tour with Godfrey. We saw the whole island and he gave us a great history of the island, etc. And at $25/person, you can't beat it!

 

Sheila...did you recall if they were still doing the kareoke idol contest?

Also..what did they do instead of horse racing on deck? Anything?

I didn't read about the Karaoke Idol in the Cruise Compass. We attended in 2004 so I would've noticed that. I think they replaced it with the new Project Cruise Director. I don't know what replaced the horse racing, but they did have Mr. Sexy Legs, Miss Biceps, and the Belly Flop contest. I'm sure others will pipe in on here and let you know more.

 

Lynn ~ Yes, it was a fantastic cruise and I wish we could all still be on-board. That was very nice of Becky to come by your table to talk and let you know about the M&M. She's a wonderful person and CD. She will definitely be missed on the Mariner.

[WeirdEyes]

Sheila, we had Ruzario on our cruise in April!! Wasn't he the nicest guy? We loved him. He spoiled my kids so much. He told us this was his last year on cruise ships, because he is missing his family too much.

 

Here's to the "yummy yummy's"!

 

Karen

Oh yes! The "yummy yummies!" LOL!!!!! DH asked me last night if there were any "yummy yummies" at home. :D Ruzario also told us he was going home next year. He is such a great guy!

 

Sheila,

 

WONDERFUL REVIEW and I loved the photos! One of these days we will sail together.

 

Oh and good work with the professional chair hog.

Nancy ~ That would be so cool and thanks! ;)

[kittymom65]

Thanks for taking the time to post your review and the pics!

[Sea Fan]

Sheila~Really a great review, I have been a Princess cruiser but am dying to try RCI and after talking to you Marvelous Mariner Maidens, I'm ready to go. Where is Becky going when she leaves the Mariner?

 

Did I understand correctly the Mariner is moving to California? Since that's my home state this is just getting better and better.

 

Thanks,

 

Dianne

[bluecruisin]

I'm sorry to hear about the bad service in the pub, we always enjoy them so much. Where you ever there to hear the guitar player/singer? How was he? Thanks!

[cruzeluver]

Thanks for the review. Question:

 

So because you had to miss Coco Cay, it looks like your sea days got flipped.

 

Monday=sea day (normally Coco Cay)

Tuesday=San Juan (normally sea day)

 

Am I reading this correct? Just curious. Thanks.

[Robkatcruisers]

How does one go about scheduling a tour with someone on St. Thomas?

 

This awesome review mentioned "Godfrey". How do I look into it along with others on St.Thomas and St. Marteen/St. Martin?

 

Thanks

[WeirdEyes]

Sheila~Really a great review, I have been a Princess cruiser but am dying to try RCI and after talking to you Marvelous Mariner Maidens, I'm ready to go. Where is Becky going when she leaves the Mariner?

 

Did I understand correctly the Mariner is moving to California? Since that's my home state this is just getting better and better.

 

Thanks,

 

Dianne

From what Lynn told me, Becky is going to the Freedom in a couple of weeks for a few months. After that, I don't know. The Navigator (Mariner's sister ship) is moving to California. I've sailed her also and you'd like her as well. ;)

 

I'm sorry to hear about the bad service in the pub, we always enjoy them so much. Where you ever there to hear the guitar player/singer? How was he? Thanks!

No, we didn't see the guitar player/singer. The only thing that we saw at the Pub (besides drinking) was some guy doing pub quizzes. He was very annoying because he'd yell at people walking down the Royal Promenade. (Again, just my opinion.)

 

Thanks for the review. Question:

 

So because you had to miss Coco Cay, it looks like your sea days got flipped.

 

Monday=sea day (normally Coco Cay)

Tuesday=San Juan (normally sea day)

 

Am I reading this correct? Just curious. Thanks.

Yes, the sea days got flipped. We had 3 port days in a row, which made it tiring. I'm not complaining about missing CocoCay, but just disappointed. We scheduled the waverunner tour and I wanted to do it again.

[WeirdEyes]

How does one go about scheduling a tour with someone on St. Thomas?

 

This awesome review mentioned "Godfrey". How do I look into it along with others on St.Thomas and St. Marteen/St. Martin?

 

Thanks

Go here http://godfreytoursvi.com/ to schedule. Godfrey will e-mail you back. He's a great guy!

[diskris]

Great review!!! I can't wait for my cruise!! Just wanted to know what time you left your hotel to arrive at the port, and how you got to the port. We are renting a car so we are debating whether or not to return the car the night before and take the hotel shuttle over, or to just drive over drop off our luggage and our party and then one person just to return the car. We also want to know what time we should leave the hotel to just walk on the ship.

[sj25]

Great review...I always love to hear everyones view...I love the Mariner..have been on it now a total of 3 weeks and have 2 more booked before she goes to CA...

I always loved the wig and gavel...that is where we always hung out and loved to also hear the guy sing with the guitar...in Dec he was there..and the waiters was great..guess it the crew you have...?

Did you hear if Capt Johnny will be going with the Mariner to CA?

I will second the Godfrey tour...excellent and doing his tour again in Sept.

so my daughter gets to enjoy..last time was dh and I.